Putting Knowledge to Work

Backyard Poultry Keeping

Tuesday May 22, 2012 at 7:00 PM
at Cornell Cooperative Extension, 401 N Main St, Warsaw

Learn the basics of keeping a small flock of poultry in limited space. Keeping chickens has lots of benefits and done properly will reward you in many ways for years to come.

Do you want your chickens for egg production, meat production or both. Learn how many eggs to expect each year, or how long it takes to raise broilers. Chickens are flock animals, so its best to keep at least two. Do you choose to keep a rooster? Whys and why-nots will be discussed.

There are a huge variety of colorful and productive breeds, from the small bantams to large laying hens. How much will they eat? How often should you check for eggs? Do they need heat in winter? Should vaccinations for your flock be part of your plan?

Learn about mobile housing, a ‘chicken truck’, which allows your flock to graze the grass without exposure to predators, and without exposing your vegetable garden to hungry chickens!

Featuring a presentation by Nancy Glazier, Small Farm Specialist with the Cornell NWNY Dairy, Livestock, and Field Crops Team. Lots of handouts, and poultry keeping information. Meet and chat with other poultry enthusiasts.

$5 to register. Contact Debra Welch, 585-786-2251 or email djw275@cornell.edu

Local Fresh Markets And Products Get Promotional Boost With Wyoming County’s Guide To Locally-Grown Products

By Debra Welch, Agriculture Program Educator, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Wyoming County

Why buy locally grown? Local is fresher and tastes better. Fresher food is more nutritious. Local goods mean more local jobs. Local products offer better value for your money.

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Wyoming County announces the release of their newest edition of the popular EAT FRESH, BUY LOCAL brochure. This brochure features the best local places in each township in Wyoming County
to find a variety of products, listing 70 vendors and farm markets. Buyers can fi nd a large variety of seasonal fresh vegetables, berries, fruits, bakery goods, maple syrup and maple products, honey and honey products, home-grown meats and poultry, dairy, cheeses, fresh eggs, farm crafts including locally made furniture, flowers, trees, bedding plants, and more. Included in
the EAT FRESH, BUY LOCAL brochure are locations, months and hours of operations, and brief descriptions of the products offered by each vendor.

Pick up your copy of the EAT FRESH, BUY LOCAL brochure today, at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Wyoming County at 401 North Main Street, Warsaw or download here:

GUIDE TO LOCALLY-GROWN PRODUCTS

Soil pH Testing at Cornell Cooperative Extension

Come in to the Cornell Cooperative Extension office to have your soil tested. Soil pH testing can be done here by Don Gasiewicz, our Agriculture Program Assistant, and by our Wyoming County Master Gardeners. This is a free service for Cooperative Extension enrollees (Click here for more information about enrolling) and $2.00 for non-enrollees.

Agro-One soil nutrient testing is also available here for $17-$23, depending on enrollment and test site. Call Don at 786-2251 for more information.

Instructions: How to Obtain a Proper Soil Sample

Why Do A Soil Test?

Adapted from Gary Gao, Joe Boggs and Jim Chatfield, Ohio State University Extension,and the University of Rhode Island Cooperative Extension

The soil test is an excellent measure of soil fertility. It is an inexpensive way of maintaining good plant health and maximum crop productivity. Soil fertility fluctuates throughout the growing season each year--the quantity and availability of mineral nutrients are altered by the addition of fertilizers, manure, compost, mulch and lime or sulfur, in addition to leaching. Furthermore, a large quantity of mineral nutrients are removed from soils as a result of plant growth and development, and the harvesting of crops. The soil test will determine the current fertility status. It also provides the necessary information needed to maintain optimum fertility year after year.

Some plants grow well over a wide range of soil pH, while others grow best within a narrow range of pH. Most turfgrasses, flowers, ornamental shrubs, vegetables and fruits grow best in slightly acid soils with a pH of 6.1 to 6.9. Plants such as rhododendron, azalea, pieris, mountain laurel and blueberries require a more acidic soil to grow well. A soil test is the only precise way to determine whether the soil is acidic, neutral, or alkaline.

Most soil nutrients are readily available when soil pH is at 6.5. When pH rises above this value, nutrient elements such as phosphorus, iron, manganese, copper and zinc will become less available. When soil pH drops below 6.5, manganese can reach a toxic level for some sensitive plants.

The soil test takes the guesswork out of fertilization and is extremely cost effective. It not only eliminates the waste of money spent on unnecessary fertilizers, but also eliminates over-usage of fertilizers, hence helping to protect the environment.

Call 585-786-2251 or stop by the office today and speak with Don about getting your soil tested!

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